Bangkok in Brief

Welcome to Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia’s most thriving commercial centers.

Many first-time visitors to Bangkokhave little idea of what they will actually encounter, Bangkok, accommodating around 8,000,000 residents, is a sophisticated, fast growing and occasionally  traffic-jammed city. Referred to today as the City of Angels (Krung Thep in Thai), Bangkok was once called the Vinice of the East because of its many canals. Although many canals have been filled-in, taking away some of the city’s old-world charm, it is still one of the most wonderful places worth visiting in Southeast Asia. Many visitors keep coming back to the city, some for business, some for vacations and some even to settle down here. Without doubt, modern-day Bangkok is a tourist attraction of the East offering a greater variety of things to see and do than any other city in Southeast Asia.

Established in 1782 as Thailand’s capital, the official full name of the city is probably the longest in the world:

            “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara AyutthayaMahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathatthiya Witsanukam Prasit.”

Bangkok, City of Angels, offers an abundance of sites and attractions for tourists and is famous for its Buddhist Temples (Wat in Thai) including the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo), adjacent to the Grand Palace. This temple and other beautiful examples of carefully-preserved Thai architecture are referred to in more details in the following article on day tours. Bangkok, located in the center of the country, is also an excellent stepping-off point for visiting other parts of Thailand. Although the measured pace of old Siam is now a thing  of the past, the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage still survives.

Accommodation in Bangkokcovers a variety of price ranges, but all offer high standard of service presented by friendly staffs. The city probably has the highest concentration of luxurious hotels in the world.

Currently, hotels and shopping malls offer amazing bargains, following the decrease of the Thai baht currency in 1997. And for those in search of bargains, Bangkokhas excellent examples of Thai handicrafts, Thai antiques, paintings, T-shirts in-fashion accessories, high-grade Thai silks and high quality jewelry. The following article on Amazing Shopping directs you to some of the best spots in the city for bargain-hunting.

Bangkok also boasts a numerous inexpensive restaurants featuring mouth-watering dishes from all regions of Thailand and international cuisine from just about everywhere in the world. Many gourmets of Thai food, now rated No.5 in the world’s culinary top 10, considering Bangkok to be on a par with Hong Kongfor gastronomic experiences.

The city offers a broad variety of restaurants, ranging from simple noodle stands to the most elegant dining rooms. Visitors from Europe and North America who consider themselves fans of Thai food will find Bangkok a gastronomic paradise. Despite  the country’s economic downturn, Thai people continue to be very friendly, greeting visitors with their usual graceful hospitality and sincere expressions of friendship-traits which have earned Thailandthe title of “Land of Smile”. And that is no trick as you will discover by the time you have to leave Thailand. When the time comes, we hope you will leave the city of Bangkok feeling a deep warmth for its many charms and find it fascinating enough to enable us to welcome you back again and again.